Today's Automation News Headlines from Automation.com

June 9, 2011 — Manufacturers now have greater flexibility and mobility to make real-time changes to plantfloor operations using the latest version of FactoryTalk ViewPoint software from Rockwell Automation. In addition to tag write capabilities, the latest version of the company’s Web-enabled human-machine interface (HMI) software also features enhanced security capabilities that allow administrators to manage and control who can access system and machine parameters from outside the plant.

FactoryTalk ViewPoint 2.0 software extends visualization and real-time decision-making capabilities to browser-based remote users, such as plant managers, supervisors and mobile workers. The software supports fully scalable and animated Web displays of existing FactoryTalk View HMI software and Allen-Bradley PanelView Plus applications. The latest release adds compatibility with Google Chrome 10 and Safari 5, in addition to the existing support for Microsoft Internet Explorer 6, 7 or 8, and Mozilla Firefox 3.

Using FactoryTalk ViewPoint 2.0 software, for example, the operator of a line could see if equipment was over-dispensing and remotely change the parameters to reduce product waste. In the past, that could only happen on-site – on the plantfloor, but today operators can use a browser to instantly make the necessary adjustments whether they’re at another plant, in the control room or on the road.

FactoryTalk ViewPoint software is also ideal for system integrators and OEMs that want to monitor customer installations, perform diagnostics or provide support for visualization applications they have deployed. The software is also becoming vital for applications that require monitoring of remote, unattended sites, such as in the water/wastewater, oil and gas, and mining industries.

FactoryTalk ViewPoint 2.0 software allows users to remotely access and write to FactoryTalk View Machine Edition and Site Edition (SE) applications using numeric and string (text) entry objects, and momentary, maintained, multi-state, ramp and interlocked pushbuttons. Companies with FactoryTalk View SE applications also can remotely access and write to FactoryTalk View SE commands, including set, toggle, ramp and simple expressions (ex., Tag1 = Tag2 *.55 + 72).

The enhanced security system allows administrators to define user groups and assign them access for view and/or write capabilities. Previous FactoryTalk ViewPoint versions only permitted administrators to allow or disallow users’ access to the entire FactoryTalk ViewPoint application.

“Remote visualization and control marks a major advance in the manufacturing industry,” said Tad Palus, FactoryTalk ViewPoint software product manager, Rockwell Automation. “With FactoryTalk ViewPoint 2.0 software, users can access critical plant information in the form of graphics displays, dashboards and diagnostic reports, and make decisions based on this information when and where it is most actionable and valuable to them. Delivering this information via a secure Web browser provides a cost-effective and easy-to-maintain way of reaching remote users.”

Rockwell Automation, Inc. (NYSE: ROK), the world’s largest company dedicated to industrial automation and information, makes its customers more productive and the world more sustainable. Headquartered in Milwaukee, Wis., Rockwell Automation employs about 19,000 people serving customers in more than 80 countries.